Pizza in Naples is a theological argument. The canonical form is the Margherita — tomato, fior di latte mozzarella, basil and olive oil on a soft, slightly charred crust baked in a wood-fired oven at 485°C for 60–90 seconds. A pizzeria that has been in the same family for generations in a side street off Via dei Tribunali is worth finding. Book at a serious pizzeria if you plan to visit at lunchtime on a busy day.
Sfogliatella is the other Neapolitan essential: a flaky or smooth pastry (riccia or frolla) filled with semolina cream, candied citrus peel and ricotta. Eaten fresh from a bakery oven in the morning it is one of the most perfect things in European pastry. Pastry shops along Via dei Tribunali open early.
Street food runs deep in Naples. Cuoppo (paper cone of fried seafood or vegetables), taralli (ring-shaped savoury biscuits), pizza fritta (fried pizza), and the inexplicable but magnificent cuoppo di verdure constitute a full alternative gastronomy to sit-down eating.
Espresso in Naples is darker, denser and served hotter than in the rest of Italy. The correct way to drink it is standing at a bar. Order a caffè, pay at the till first if that is the custom, and drink it in two or three sips.
Highlights
- Pizza Margherita: the canonical Neapolitan form, invented here
- Sfogliatella riccia and frolla: the essential Neapolitan pastry
- Cuoppo: street-food fried delights in a paper cone
- Neapolitan espresso: darker, denser, served hotter
- Pastry shops on Via dei Tribunali: open early, worth finding
Tips
- Book a serious pizzeria in advance for lunch if you are arriving on a busy ship day
- Find sfogliatella at a traditional pastry shop (pasticceria) in the morning
- Street food is best eaten walking — cuoppo, taralli and pizza fritta need no table
- A food tour is a good way to structure a Naples food day if you are arriving for the first time